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Alchemy Group breaks ground on bathing oasis designed to revive San Francisco’s bathhouse culture

17 Oct 2023 Alchemy Springs, an upcoming social spa project in San Francisco’s Lower Nob Hill neighbourhood, has broken ground on its nature-centric bathing area.

Comprised of a variety of thermal and wet experiences and social spaces, the upcoming 14,500sq ft destination is being designed to revive the city’s bathhouse culture and provide a unique social wellness alternative to the typical hospitality and nightlife experiences.

Parent brand and management company Alchemy Group is behind the project and predicts it will complete Alchemy Springs Garden (its first spa component) in Q1 2024.

Now under construction, Alchemy Springs Garden will be home to a lower ground floor and an outdoor garden area encompassing 8,500sq ft.

The co-ed urban spa space will feature:
• A tropical mist greenhouse with thermal benches.
• An outdoor garden spa.
• A shower experience wall.
• A firepit and lounge area.
• An indoor sauna and cold room.
• An event sauna for breathwork and sound healing.
• Private ice baths.
• A yoga sun deck and event stage.
• A zen garden.

Architect Olle Lundberg and Lundberg Design are working in partnership with landscape architects Surface Design & Habitat Horticulture to create the new location – due to be fully completed by late 2024.

Community first
Earlier this year, Alchemy Group unveiled the location’s 6,000sq ft ground floor community event space, Alchemy House.

The facility is now used for programming and events that connect and celebrate the diversity of its local community, ranging from game nights and art classes, to live music, immersive art and speaker series.

Alchemy Group CEO Anne Cannady said: “Gen-Z – one of San Francisco’s largest demographics – cares more about health and wellbeing than ever before, yet there are few holistic, community-focused brands in the space.

“This presents a huge economic opportunity and our team and industry partners are well-positioned to lead this category and help revitalise the West Coast.

“We live in a hyper-connected world, and in Silicon Valley especially, there is a growing consumer need for human connection to balance this trend. Alchemy Group is all about providing that connection and that’s something I know we’ll see a return on investment on.”

Plans for Alchemy Springs were first announced in 2021. Click here to read Spa Business' exclusive interview with Cannady about the vision behind the destination.

Strong foundations
Backed by industry veterans, Alchemy Group’s advisory board includes:
– Mia Kyricos, former SVP of wellness for Hyatt Hotels and Starwood Hotels, chief brand officer of SpaFinder, and co-founder and advisory board member of the Global Wellness Institute.
– Dr Marcus Coplin, a naturopathic physician and vice president of education and development for the Balneology Association of North America.
– Vince Kadlubek, co-founder and director of Meow Wolf and Spatial Activations.

Alchemy has to date secured over US$1.3 million (€1.2 million, £1.1 million) in funding, including US$400,000 (€379,000, £329,000) through online real estate crowdfunding company Small Change – alongside accredited investors taking part in this community-building project.

The team is now raising US$2 million (€1.9 million, £1.6 million) for Alchemy Group to support expansion in San Francisco and additional markets in the US.

“It’s no secret that real estate development in San Francisco has a challenging history, and today, investors are looking to diversify their portfolio. We’ve heavily de-risked the project with our entitlements, and construction is underway,” said Cannady.

“Investors can invest in a high-margin business with a relatively quick buildout.”